Carbureting process and apparatus



Jan. 2, 1934. F. c. F. PORTAIL 1,941,487

I CABBURETING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Original Filed June 15. 1927 /NVENTOF\ Fermi/a Mar/es F 62 6776 Par/ai/ a, v W I A 1 forney i casin'gof bronze,

Patented Jan. 2, 1934' PATENT OFFICE 1,941,487 CARBURETING rnocass' AND APPARATUS Fernand Charles Frederic Portal], Gennevilliers,

France, assignor to Societe Anonyme Le Carbone, Gennevilliers, France Original application June 15, 1927, Serial No. 199,003, now Patent No. 1,795,037, dated March 3, 1931. 20, 1929, and in No. 387,140

Divided and this application August France April 13, 1927. Serial assist in vapourizing it, a perfectly homogeneous mixture is not obtained. 0n the contrary there is still formed a mixture of vapours, mist and air, which will not burn in a complete manner, so that a certain proportion of the fuel is lost or not utilized to its fullest extent.

Now the object of the present invention is to prevent this loss, and to obtain and integral utilization of the gasolene or similar fuel, whilst at the same time improving the efficiency of the engine in which it is consumed.

The process of the invention consists in principle in producing a chemical decomposition of the gasolene, or other fuel by the use of a special catalyzer, after having heated it in a suitable manner. The gasolene is transformed into lighter and more inflammable products, which mix better with the air and give a complete. combustion, thereby increasing the efliciency of the engine. Consumption is reduced at the same time.

The catalyzer used in conformity with the present invention is extremely porous and very active carbon which may be in the form of blocks or in a crushed state. Preferably it is in a compact form and may be provided with small narrow.

ducts.

The fuel mixed with the quantity of air necessary for causing atomization is compelled to pass through the active carbon forming the catalyzer' 40 at a temperature comprised between 300 and 400 degrees C. After passing through the catalyzer it is mixed with the further air necessary to ensure combustion and is conducted to the engine.

To enable the invention to be better understood there have been shown, in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, given by way of example only, a constructional form of the carbureting apparatus, by which the process of the invention may be carried into effect.

This drawing shows a vertical section of the construction.

As will be seen from the drawing the carbureting apparatus comprises a body a, composed of a aluminium orother metal not subject to 'attacks by the exhaust gases, which are admitted into said casing by p p and passed off through another piping c. 4

- The base of the body'a is connected to a. throat g of suitable shape, into which there opens a fuel jet h. p This latter is of the type adopted f0 53 use with ordinary carburetors and is fed from a float chamber or other constant level chamber 2', and so constructed and located that it contains 1 a reserve of fuel which may be utilized for rapid acceleration. @5

The upper part of the body a is connected to a conduit 1 through which the decomposed fuel mixed with the pulverizing air flows. This conduit opens into a choke is, having the form a Venturi tube, arranged in an induction pipe I adapted to be connected to the engine, and provided with a butterfly throttle valve m for regulation purposes.

In the body a separate means is provided for vaporizing and decomposing the fuel. The apparatus comprises a group of tubes q, containing wires of copper or other metal, or metal shav-. ings, etc. intended to vap urize the gasolene.

1 Above these tubes there is provided a plate of active carbon e which may be pierced with holes I. 30 The gasolene drawn from the jet h in atomized condition by the air passing through the throat g, traverses with said air the tubes q, and the carbon catalyzer plate 0. The temperature obtained may be regulated, for example, by caus- 5 ing a greater or lesser part of these gases to pass into the body a.

By'means of this arrangement the gasolene reaches the carbon inthelform of vapour. Furthermore, it is a certain extent purified, because V the metallic wires or shavings retain all impurities, such as asphalt. 4

The gasolene in contact with the active carbon is decomposed into light andmore inflammable fractions, any part not so converted being vapourized by the heat. These fractions then be- Y come mixed with the principal air entering the choke 70, through the ports p with the final result that the mixture is completely burnt in the engine which thereby develops a higher power than would be the case it an ordinary carburetor was used.

The air entering theports p may .be slightly heated, for example by contact with'the heating casing a, so that any condensation of the combustible vapours is prevented.-

If the jet h is of the normal type the carbon cylinders e can be unpierced; the fuel is compelled to traverse the carbon from bottom to top. However, in order to facilitate recoveries it is 1 preferable in this case to provide them with such conduits as have been shown at f.

The invention has not only the advantage as heretofore set forth, of ensuring complete combustion, of avoiding fuel losses and of augmenting efliciency, but also of permitting of the use of more or less impure fuels or mixture of fuels which do not behave in a satisfactory manner in ordinary circumstances.

The arrangements hereinbefore described are only given by way of example, as all the details of execution and operation, the forms, materials and dimensions can be varied without in any way changing the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a carburetor for internal combustion engines, the combination with a casing having a fuel nozzle and a fuel outlet port spaced from said fuel nozzle, of a catalytic body consisting of very active porous carbon arranged in said casing between said fuel nozzle and said outlet port, a group of tubes disposed between the fuel nozzle and said catalytic body, in which group each tube is individually arranged adjacent to said catalytic body, said catalytic body being arranged in a common position relative to all said tubes as a group, and means in said casing for leading exhaust gases into direct contact with the exterior walls of said tubes to heat the mixture of volatile fuel and air passing therethrough to a temperature between 300 C. and 400 C. prior to its contact with the catalytic body.

2. In a carburetor for internal combustion engines, the combination with a casing having a fuel nozzle and arfuel outlet port spaced from said fuel nozzle, of a catalytic body consisting of a very active porous carbon arranged in said casing between said fuel nozzle and said outlet port, a group of tubes disposed between the fuel nozzle and said catalytic body, in which group each tube is individually arranged adjacent to said catalytic body and directed toward the same, said catalytic body being arranged in a common position relative to all said tubes as a group, and means in said casing 'for leading exhaust gases into direct contact with the exterior walls of said tubes to heat the mixtureof volatile fuel and air passing therethrough to a temperature between 300 C. and 400 C. prior to its contact with the catalytic body, said means including an exhaust inlet port and an exhaust outlet port spaced apart in said casing and arranged intermediate said fuel nozzle and said catalytic body.

FERNAND CHARLES FREDERIC PORTAIL. 

